1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel supply unit of an engine of an automobile, in which a fuel injector installed in a fuel distribution pipe injects fuel to a cylinder of the engine.
2. Description of Related Art
Heretofore, a fuel supply unit includes a fuel injector for injecting fuel to a cylinder of an engine and a fuel distribution pipe for distributing fuel to the injector. The fuel distribution pipe has a fuel outlet port, and the fuel injector has a fuel inlet port, so that the fuel outlet port and the fuel inlet port are communicated. The fuel injector is clamped between the fuel distribution pipe and the engine.
In the fuel supply unit, the fuel injector is likely to be detached from the fuel distribution pipe by a shock to the engine or the fuel injector caused by, for example, a car clash. Since the fuel injector is detachable from the fuel distribution pipe, it is difficult to transport the fuel supply unit in which the fuel injector is installed in the fuel distribution pipe before the fuel supply unit is installed in the engine.
Accordingly, a fuel supply unit 100 shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, which has a structure to restrict a detachment of the fuel injector from the fuel distribution pipe, is proposed. The fuel supply unit 100 includes a locking clip 205, a fuel injector 203 and a fuel distribution pipe 200. The locking clip 205 restricts the fuel injector 203 from detaching from the fuel distribution pipe 200. The locking clip 205 includes a couple of parallel distribution pipe locking portions 206.
As shown in FIG. 10A, each locking portion 206 has a locking hole 207 in the upper part thereof. The fuel outlet port 201 of the fuel distribution pipe 200 has a circular flange 202. A corresponding part of the circular flange 202 fits in the locking hole 207. Accordingly, the circular flange 202 is fastened to the respective locking portion 206. The locking portion 206 has a locking flange 208 in the lower end thereof. The locking flange 208 extends toward the opposing locking portion 206. Each locking flange 208 fits on a circumferential surface of the fuel injector 203.
As shown in FIG. 10B, each flange 208 has a locking projection 209 extending from the end thereof toward the opposing locking flange 208, and the fuel injector 203 has a lockable portion 204, so that the locking projections 209 are locked in the lockable portion 204. In this way, the fuel injector 203 is prevented from being detached from the fuel distribution pipe 200.
However, the locking clip 205 locks the lockable portion 204 of the fuel injector 203 only by the two separated locking projections 209. Therefore, when the locking projections 209 are forcedly weighted with the lockable portion 204, the locking projections 209 are deformed and detached from the lockable portion 204. That is, the fuel injector 203 is detached from the locking clip 205. Otherwise, when the locking portions 206 are forcedly pulled in a right direction in FIG. 10A, the locking projections 209 are detached from the lockable portions 204.
Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, when a rotational force β is generated in the locking portion 206 by the lockable portion 204 of the fuel injector 203, with which the locking projection 209 contacts, the inner peripheral surface of the locking hole 207 is rotationally pressed by the circular flange 202. Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 11C and 11D, both peripheral edges 202a of the circular flange 202 are pressed by the peripheral edge of the locking hole 207, so that the locking hole 207 of the locking portion 206 is deformed, and a force for detaching the circular flange 202 from the locking hole 207 is generated. After all, the locking clip 205 is detached from the fuel distribution pipe 200 as shown in FIGS. 11E and 11F. That is, in the proposed fuel supply unit 100, the fuel injector 203 is still likely to be detached from the fuel distribution pipe 200.